The Marines Take Anbar

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The campaign to secure Anbar Province in Iraq stands as one of the U.S. Marine Corps' historic achievements, with Dick Shultz providing a detailed account rich in lessons learned and adaptability. This four-year struggle against al Qaeda is destined to be remembered alongside legendary battles like Belleau Wood and Iwo Jima. The author argues that the success in Anbar marked a pivotal moment in the Iraq War, setting the stage for the Surge in Baghdad a year later. Shultz reveals how the Marines, from 2004 to 2008, adapted and improvised, drawing from the hard lessons of past conflicts. When the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF) was deployed to Anbar in March 2004, they faced a fierce insurgency and escalating violence. By spring 2006, the situation seemed dire, with enemy violence surging and U.S. success appearing unlikely. However, as I MEF returned for a second tour, new counterinsurgency strategies were implemented, leading to a shift in control. By September 2008, the fight had concluded. Shultz, an expert in international security studies, effectively challenges the conventional belief that the Surge was the turning point, making a compelling case for the Marines’ critical role in changing the war's trajectory in Anbar.